So this is a huge game for the Irish. On the road in a very hostile environment. Lane Stadium in Blacksburg is very well known for it's crowds, esp in a night game. No doubt this will be a black out game for them. Va.Tech was doing very well, before that unbelievable loss to ODU. But they have lost their starting QB to an injury and they kicked off the team their starting DE. So they have some challenges. The backup QB did a good job in the Duke game so they seem to be OK there and they beat Duke pretty handily I didn't see the game but the score was 31-14, and Duke had been having a pretty good season themselves and were ranked inside the top 25 at #22. I think we all know that Justin Fuente is a young and upcoming coach who has done a great job at Memphis and continued to do well in the 3 years he's been at Va.Tech. He did beat the Irish in South Bend in 2016 34-31. 2016 was one of those seasons for the Irish that nothing went right. We are favored, and we have the better roster than Va.Tech. We should win this game. But will we suffer an emotional letdown, that's certainly possible. Things were rockin' in Notre Dame stadium on Saturday night. But they need to remember what happened when they went to Miami where there was an incredible Miami crowd, they let Miami get off to a fast start and were never in the game. They can not let Va.Tech get off to a fast start, they need to take the crowd out of the game early and then just play their game. Bud Fosters defenses are always tough. So I expect more than a few new wrinkles to attempt to confuse Book and the offense. This is a game where we will esp miss SR OG Alex Bars. We will be down 2 RB's, in Jones (although it's not sure) and Jafar Armstrong. Our defense needs to bring that intensity that they showed vs Stanford and get to the Va.Tech QB early and often to get him rattled. Go Irish.
This is the week, as a coach, you challenge their manhood. I think it was Brian Polian who tweeted that the 24 hour rule this week was cut down to 12 hours. They (should) remember what happened in Miami and they should be prepared for it. Wanna know what separates the greats from the good? Back to back wins like this do.
:roll: I can't analyze Va Tech, because their loss to Old Dominion doesn't compute. Their players are lucky that it was only the DE who got kicked out. A lot more than him deserved it...
I think you have to throw out that game with ODU, Va.Tech is a well coached team and going to Blacksburg at night is never an easy task. Irish will have to play very well to win there this Sat night. With all of Books recent success, I was thinking how this impacts the QB room going forward. Before the season I had completely written off Book as ever starting at ND and figured he'd transfer after the 2018 season. I was hoping that Wimbush would show a lot of improvement and be the starter for the season, that Phil Jurkovec would patiently sit and wait this year maybe getting some game play under that new 4 game rule, but basically waiting. Wimbush can return in 2019 and I didn't expect him to have the type of season that would lead to him being an NFL candidate, so Wimbush starts in 2019 and Jurkovec is his backup, Book is gone. 2020 starts the Phil Jurkovec era and off we go. But now with Book in the equation, he has 2 more years after this year and again Ian is not likely to be a hot commodity as far as the NFL goes, as he has a height problem and doesn't possess a canon for an arm. So baring injury or regression in his play he's the bet to start the rest of this year and for 2019 and 2020...pushing Jurkovec to 2021..something I'll bet Phil never contemplated having to wait that long, it'd be his Sr. year before he starts. Of course, Book could be injured, Book could regress, Phil could come in somewhere and really shine and beat out Book. Phil does have a big arm and Phil is 6'5" and pretty mobile. I wonder now if Jurkovec will stay around that long. Not many QB's with his talent will do that. We'll have to see.
I only want guys who want to be here. If you don't want to be part of a winner, then what does that say about you? You can be a 'me' guy, which plagues today's game, or you can be a 'team guy' which is currently what fills the roster of the defending national champions. I think it boils down into how you handle the players and their expectations. I remember seeing coverage of the guy before Wimbush (Golson?) who had gotten hurt and was in tears with his parents. Right there was Kelly saying that it was still his team when he gets back. I was struck by that because how can you make that assurance without selling the whole team short? You're just setting yourself up for drama and problems. I keep hearing from people who thought Book couldn't do it, but where is the hole in his game? He can beat you deep, he's deadly accurate in the short to mid-range game. His passing tree is balanced between left, right and center of the field. The guy is a gamer and he runs well enough to be more than effective in keeping a defense honest. Ask yourself, can you say the same thing for the other guys? If not, there's no debate... also, I don't understand the need to rush this kid out of Pittsburgh. Let him grow, let him get his feet underneath him. Book is a redshirt sophomore. Can we stop throwing guys into the fire because of hype and recruiting analysts? And yes, Kevin McDougal is still my favorite ND QB for a reason.
I don't want to hear about letdowns this year. This team is hard wired with a direct path to the Playoffs. If they run the table they are in. Book has elevated the play of everyone on the offensive side of the ball just like Tranquill does on the defense. The Irish always have a lot of talent but do not always have leaders on the field. This team lacks nothing.
ND <t>From little bits and blurbs I keep hearing things that indicate Kelly has been preparing the team for this trip to VTech for several months. Exactly how I'm not sure. I've also seen where Kelly says he didn't prepare the team well enough for the game in Miami last year. <br/> <br/> Hopefully the team has learned a lesson from that Maimi game last year and can stay focused at VTech. We have the better team. Play like it and we can leave that hell hole with a W. Let them rattle you and it will be a long night.</t>
ND <r>Found this little stat in a article on 247 sports site that adds a little perspective to the VTech home field advantage edge:<br/> <QUOTE><s> </e></QUOTE> I'm just sayin'.....or maybe I'm just trying to make me feel less apprehensive about this particular road game.</r>
I like that stat Tim, still wary of these guys though. We should win, but that's why we play the games.
ND <r>ICON video from Stanford game. Good stuff as usual...<br/> <br/> <br/> <URL url="https://youtu.be/uAAEGIvvjrY">https://youtu.be/uAAEGIvvjrY</URL><br/> <br/> Enjoy</r>
Since this is an ACC game at Va.Tech and they are dedicating a statue of Frank Beamer this weekend, this article addresses why they chose this weekend and about the overall relationship of Notre Dame and the ACC. Very good read. http://www.dailypress.com/sports/dp-spt-notre-dame-acc-membership-1004-story.html
It's not just a Maroon Out, they are stiping the stadium as well. https://hokiesports.com/sports/2018/5/14/hokie-effect-2018.aspx
Sid probably has already read this article in the IndyStar about ND recruit Jack Kiser from a small town in Indiana. It's a fun article. He's the ultimate big fish in that little pond, but seems to be a not just a big fish, but a humble one who has a big heart as well. I hope he does well at ND when he comes, will be an adjustment for him, but I'm rooting for him to make it being a big fish in a big pond! :wink: :wink: https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/high-school/2018/10/04/jack-kiser-rare-class-notre-dame-recruit-indiana-mr-football-candidate-pioneer/1485996002/
Thanks, Terry. That's a very nice article. I knew about him, and I know where Pioneer HS is. I know about Pioneer's recent history in football as a Single A school. I did not know everything that the article says about his and his family's athletic accomplishments. Pretty impressive. I saw his cousin, Emily Kiser, play basketball last year for Noblesville against my granddaughter's team. Very athletic. An outstanding BB player. I'm not surprised she's on scholarship at a Big Ten school. P.S. How about their Michigan-style helmets?
Wow! Reading that story, I was getting mental images of coach Norman Dale riding with his team through the Indiana cornfields to play in the state championship game with the entire town following him :shock: :shock: From now on I'm a Jack Kiser fan too!
Good ole small town stuff! The young man is definitely a winner in more ways than one. A small school in a rural setting is difficult to beat. Reminds me of my high school class of 18. We still get together several times a year. Fortunately, we are all in our early 80s and still in good health. No major athletes though! :roll: